Latest Ethiopian News - General Ethiopian News

December 13, 2017 - The European Union announced aid worth 174.4 million euros under the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa to support refugees and host communities in the Horn of Africa region. Three new projects which will focus on creating employment opportunities and providing energy access to refugees and local populations will be implemented in Ethiopia with a total of 38.05 million euros, reports FBC

Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica said, “with today's (yesterday) new actions worth €174.4 million, we are stepping up our support – to protect vulnerable migrants, to create economic opportuniti

December 10, 2017 - A German tourist, who was confirmed dead in an attack in Northeastern Ethiopia, has been identified as Walter Roepert (MD) from Aalen, Germany. The German citizen who was an ear, nose and throat specialist died on the scene while his translator survived and is said to be treated at a nearby hospital.

The incident was said to have happened near a volcanic lake at Erta Ale inside the Danakil Depression near the Eritrean border. The 63-year-old medical doctor was said to be attacked along with his tourist guide, taking pictures while he came face-to-face with armed men that shot both of them close-up. The Ethiopian gov

December 7, 2017 - An international airport built at a cost of 450 million birr ($16.6 million) in Ethiopia’s North Eastern state, Afar regional state, inaugurated today. The airport has been named after Sultan Alimirah Anfre, former tribal leader of Afar people.

Ethiopian Minister of Transport, Ahmed Shide, Chief Administrator of Afar Regional State, Haji Seyoum Awel as well as Deputy Speaker of the House of Federation (HoF) attended the inauguration ceremony.

The airport would have a significant contribution to attract investment and link the region with the neighboring country Djibouti as well as to facilitate import-export trade, A

December 6, 2017 - German tourist has been shot dead and a guide injured during a visit to a volcano in north-eastern Ethiopia, reports BBC. They were part of a group which had travelled to the Erta Ale volcano. It is not known who carried out the attack, but the Ethiopian government has launched an investigation.

The Afar region, which straddles the border between Eritrea and Ethiopia, is known as an operating ground for several separatist groups.

Five years ago, the Afar Revolutionary Democratic Front - the most prominent of the groups - claimed responsibility for the deaths of five tourists and the abduction of four others in

November 28, 2017 - Ethiopia launched a comprehensive Refugee Response Program (CRRF) to provide refugees with more employment and educational opportunities. According to Xinhua’s report. Ethiopia now hosts about 890,000 refugees mainly from South Sudan, Sudan, Eritrea, and Somalia in 26 refugee camps across the country.

Commissioner of Ethiopia Investment Commission (EIC) Fitusm Arega said the Ethiopian government is working to create employment opportunities for refugees, especially in industrial parks.

"Preparations are being made to build, at a cost of 500 million U.S. dollars, three industrial parks for refugees in

Ethiopian authorities are still investigating the cause of the accident, which occurred in Atsbi Wonberta, a region in the Northern Tigray regional state, but overloading is considered one of the possible causes, according to Xinhua.

Gebremedhin Nrea, the district's traffic police department coordinator, said the minibus, which is supposed to only accommodate 27 people, was transporting 34 passengers when it overturned.

October 31, 2017 - Ethnic clashes in Ethiopia's western regional state, Benishangul Gumuz state, left eight people dead over the weekend, reports Xinhua. The clashes involved ethnic Gumuz native to the regional state and ethnic Amharas who've migrated to the area over the past decade. However, the Ethiopian government said the clashes were of a personal nature and not ethnic-based.

Nigusu Tilahun, spokesperson for Amhara regional state, said 11 people suspected of involvement in the clashes have been arrested.

The Ethiopian Army and police have secure the area to prevent further clashes, he said.

October 28, 2017 - Ethiopia launched civil registration for refugees today, reports the UNHCR. As part of the registration, all refugees in the Ethiopia will be able to register their vital life events, including birth, death, marriage and divorce, directly with national authorities.

This is a historic first and a ground-breaking development for refugee protection in Ethiopia, not previously realized over decades. Civil registration for refugees has been made possible following an amendment to an existing legislation.

UNHCR and the UN’s Children Agency (UNICEF) collaborated with the government of Ethiopia in the preparation of the am

October 19, 2017 - Ethiopia recently announced a tender for 400,000 tonnes of milling wheat for use in humanitarian assistance programs throughout the country. Bids are due Oct. 24, with delivery expected by February 2018, reports world grain. The tendered amount will be divided into three tranches, totaling 200,000 tonnes, 125,000 tonnes and 75,000 tonnes.

The primary source for the wheat is expected to be the Black Sea region, the USDA said, noting that the region “is generally one of the least expensive options.”

“With the exception of food aid, nearly all wheat coming into the country in 2016 came from the

Seven other people who were injured in the accident have been taken to health clinics and hospitals. Ferede said police is investigating the cause of the car crash.

Despite having one of the lowest per capita car ownerships in the world, deadly traffic accidents in Ethiopia are fairly common with bad roads, flawed driving license issuance system and lax enforcement of road

October 6, 2017 - Ethiopian law student, Rahel Alemayehu, from Mekelle University, won the 2017 East African competition organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). ICRC has recognized the Ethiopian student for an essay competition on the topic of international humanitarian law (IHL).

Rahel received a certificate and prize from the head of the ICRC delegation in Ethiopia, James Reynolds, at a ceremony on Oct. 3 at the ICRC office in Addis Ababa.

“Prior to the competition, my knowledge about IHL was insignificant. But ever since I read an article dealing with last year’s essay competition

September 25, 2017 - The U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa announced that the 2019 Diversity Visa Program (DV-2019) Registration will open on Tuesday October 3, 2017, Noon Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), and will be closed on Tuesday, November 7, 2017, Noon Eastern Standard Time (EST).

According to commication sent to Ezega.com, the US Embassy in Addis Ababa will brief journalists on the Registration Program and provide updated information for DV eligibility and application procedures on Thursday, September 28, 2017, at the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa, Entoto Road, at 10:45 AM local time. Select media outlets are invited to attend the briefing.

September 19, 2017 - Ethiopia has made its largest-ever micro-insurance indemnity for the loss of approximately 300,000 livestock lost due to the recurrent drought, reports the cattle site. The insurance payouts of more than Ethiopian Birr 5.233 million (US$220,000) was the largest-ever micro-insurance indemnity made in Ethiopia. Each insured Ethiopian pastoralist received an average of ETB 2,255 (US$96), which will allow the herders to purchase feeds for their surviving animals and to restock their herds.

Pastoralists in northern Kenya and southern Ethiopia have been insured by an index-based livestock insurance (IBLI) scheme devise

September 10, 2017 - Ethiopians are getting ready to mark the Ethiopian New Year, which starts on September 11. The Ethiopian calendar is unique, and derives from the earlier Egyptian calendar which influenced the Julian calendar. On September 2007, Ethiopia celebrated its bi-millennial year, or year 2,000, from annunciation of Christ. This means there is a seven years difference between the Ethiopian calendar the Gregorian calendar.

As part of the New Year celebration, Ethiopia has declared 10-day long nationwide celebrations, starting September 1, 2017, to usher in the upcoming Ethiopian New Year. As part of the Ethiopian cultur

September 7, 2017 - Wolday Amha (PhD), a renowned Ethiopian economist serving as an executive director of the Association of Ethiopian Microfinance Institutions, has died in a car crash on Wednesday, September 6, 2017, reports Ethiopian weekly English newspaper Addis Fortune. Wolday was travelling from the town of Modjo, 76Km east, to Addis Abeba when his vehicle collided with another truck branded Euro Truck at about 2:00pm, according to family members.

Wolday was an assistant professor at the Addis Ababa University (AAU), and served the association as its head for close to a decade. He was also a director of the board of the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (C

September 6, 2017 - A fire accident that engulfed workers' dormitory at the construction site of Ethiopia’s largest stadium, Adey Abeba Stadium, claimed the lives of seven people so far while almost a dozen were burned severely, reports Addis Standard. Around 20 day laborers who came from various parts of Ethiopia in search of jobs were believed to have been inside their dormitory when the fire broke out on Saturday August 8, 2017. Some of them were readying to sleep and others were preparing dinner when a gas cylinder exploded at about 8:00 PM local time.

Officials from the Chinese State Engineering Corporation Ltd (CSCEC), whic

September 2, 2017 - Atsede Nigussiem, 26, was at home in Tigrai, Ethiopia, when she opened the door to estranged partner Haimanot Kahsai, 29, on July 15, when she was attacked with acid leaving her in agony as their five-year-old son Hannibal Kahsai slept inside.

Such is the severity of her injuries, she has to eat and drink through a straw and spends all day crying - one of the few things she can still do.

After the attack, Atsede ran screaming into the street for help from neighbours while Kahsai fled into the night.

Two months later Astede is still in pain, her mouth has been melted together so she cannot talk, she is bl

August 29, 2017 - The US Agency for International Development (USAID) administrator, Mark Green, will arrive in Ethiopia on Wednesday for a two-day visit. The administrator will visit multiple USAID-funded projects in Ethiopia that contribute to strengthening community resilience and economic development in Ethiopia. Green will also visit a programme supported through the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which aims to reduce the economic vulnerability of families affected by HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia.

In meetings with senior officials, Green will encourage the Ethiopian government to increase its own investments in humanit

August 27, 2017 - 1400 km long 500kV high power transmission lines and distribution stations are in place that will carry electric power when the Great Ethiopian Renaissance dam begins power generation, according to Ethiopian Electric Power.

Ethiopian Electric Power External and Public Relations Director, Misikir Negash stated that 500 kV distribution stations built from GERD-Dedesa-Holeta and Dedesa-Holeta are waiting the power generation of the Renaissance Dam.

Over 28 billion birr has been expended on the construction of the power distribution stations, it was learned. According to the Ethiopian power PR, the capacity to build these